Of Princes and Princesses
by XSaduX
Summary: The word 'girls' never sat well with William. The only thing he connected it with: 'trouble'. After all, he seems to have inherited Arthur's ways with women.
1. The beginning

**AN:**** I don't own Merlin. I am definitely grateful that the writers managed to make such a great and popular series, which I just fell in love with! **  
**Warning: English is not my mother tongue, so it is entirely possible there are spelling or grammar mistakes in my story. Do not hesitate to point them out to me.**

******Spoilers: 5.12-5.13, also 4.11**

**For this story, I assumed that Mithian has married a noble from Nemeth, one of her knights. They have been married for about five years. They married a few months before Mithian became Queen. I got the idea from Larasmith in a review. So if you're reading this, thank you!  
Adelia is derived from Adela, having the meaning of 'Noble'. Adrian is a form of the name Hadrian, going back to Hadrianus:** '**A famous bearer of the name was Publius Aelius Hadrianus, better known as Hadrian, a 2nd-century Roman emperor who built a wall across northern Britain.'  
Also, I don't know much about British etiquette, so I just used some phrases I thought would be fitting.**

******AN2: I don't own Merlin. I am definitely grateful that the writers managed to make such a great and popular series, which I just fell in love with! **  
**Warning: English is not my mother tongue, so it is entirely possible there are spelling or grammar mistakes in my story. Do not hesitate to point them out to me. Enjoy!**

******Update (05-15-2013): Thank you to everyone who has favorited this story and/or who has reviewed. I appreciate it!**

* * *

It all started when six-year-old William was summoned to the throne room. Somehow, he knew he wouldn't like what was going to be said. His uncle Merlin was walking with him, having been the one to inform him of his mother's wishes. Entering the throne room, he saw Queen Guinevere sitting in her chair, the King's chair having been empty for almost seven years now. He straightened up proudly before walking down the aisle, smiling at some of the people gathered, mostly knights.

Next to him, uncle Merlin bowed slightly, a sign of respect for the Queen. "My Lady." Gwen smiled. "Merlin, you don't have to do that." He looked up with a smirk. "We have company, my Lady, so yes I do." The Queen rose from her throne, rolling her eyes. "Oh, come here, Merlin. They're our friends. Besides, some of them have seen you call Arthur a prat, a dollop-head and all of your other imaginary words." When she reached Merlin, she hugged him and kissed his cheek. Then she turned to William. "Hi, love. Did you have fun this morning?" The prince threw his arms around her. "No! Gaius made me learn maths, and I hate maths! Mommy, you're the Queen, can't you forbid maths? Then I won't have to learn it anymore." A few sniggers sounded from behind him. It sounded like his uncles Merlin, Percival and Leon. He turned his head and narrowed his eyes at them, at the same time noticing that quite a few people were trying to hide their smiles.

Ignoring them, his mother crouched down to be able to look into his eyes. "Now why would I do that? We need to be able to count, sweetie. What if we have to ration our food? Or imagine you're being attacked, and you only have a crossbow, how will you know when you are out of arrows?" William pouted and admitted defeat. It hadn't been the first time he asked his mother, and every time, she had given him another reason for learning how to count. "Fine. Why did I have to come, mommy?"

Gwen smiled at him. "Well, I have good news, and I assumed you'd want to know." The blonde prince looked at his mother with wide eyes. "Good news? I want to hear! What is it, mommy? Do I get a dragon?" More sniggers from behind him. And even his mother laughed. "No, love. But remember Queen Mithian? The nice lady who visited last year?" William nodded fervently. He had liked her, despite his efforts not to. "Well, we've received word from her and she's coming for a visit again." The young prince started dancing around. "Yeey! When's she coming? I need to get ready, I need to take a bath!"

He started for the doors that lead to the hall, but his uncle Leon stepped in his path. "Relax, William! She's not arriving for a few more days. And maybe you should listen to your mother for a little longer. There's more." Leon turned him to face his mother again. Gwen nodded her thanks at the First Knight of Camelot.

"There's more?" The Queen nodded and beckoned her son to come closer again. When he was standing in front of her, she continued. "So, Queen Mithian is coming for another visit, and this time, she's bringing a playmate for you." Now William was confused. "A playmate? I don't need a playmate. The Queen can tell me stories." "William, sweetie, Mithian can't spend all of her time with you, you know. So when she's handling matters of state, you can play with her daughter, princess Adelia." The young prince frowned. "Queen Mithian has a daughter?" Gwen nodded. "Yes, she has a daughter. Adelia is four. And she has a son too, Adrian, who is two." "If she has a son, then why is she bringing her daughter?! I don't like girls!" This time, everyone in the throne room started laughing.

The news about Mithian bringing her daughter had only been the beginning. Things only got worse after that.

* * *

A week after, William could be found in the courtyard, bathed and wearing his best clothes, waiting for the Nemethian Queen and following to arrive. He was standing next to his mother, in front of his uncles Merlin, Leon and Percival. When the group of travellers arrived, William stood on his toes, trying to see the Queen he had started adoring the year before. Percival, seeing his struggle, picked him up from behind and put him on his shoulders. From this point of view, the prince could see Mithian and he started waving enthusiastically, getting rewarded when she waved back at him.

When the knights surrounding the Queen broke their protective formation, Leon and Merlin stepped forward. Leon helped Mithian from her horse, while the warlock walked up to the carriage where Adelia was sitting to help her down. Being a child-loving person, Merlin swirled his hands before presenting the princess with a beautiful flower. The girl giggled and accepted the flower, thanking Merlin with a kiss while he helped her down. William had been observing the proceedings, just like the rest of the people in the courtyard, and rolled his eyes. His uncle was supposed to side with him, he wasn't supposed to charm the little girl!

After the greetings had passed, William having tugged Percival's ears as a signal to put him down so he could go hug Mithian, the two Queens took their children by the hand and started in the direction of the throne room. A meal had been set out for the four of them there. While walking, the prince chanced a glance at the princess and found her looking back at him curiously. He narrowed his eyes and stuck out his tongue at her.

Once they arrived in the throne room, Gwen and Mithian decided to introduce the two children formally. "William, this is Adelia Aurora, princess of Nemeth, Mithian's daughter. I expect you to be nice to her." Gwen's words were said in a warning tone. "And Adelia, this is William Arthur, prince of Camelot, and son of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere. He's the boy I told you about last year, when I came back. Remember?" Adelia nodded her head dutifully, her eyes never leaving William. "Hi! I'm Adelia. Nice to meet you." The prince frowned, considering if it was wise to go against his mother this early on. Deciding to wait for a more opportune time, the boy grudgingly spoke, using the words etiquette required of him. "Hi. The pleasure is all mine, princess Adelia." Seeing his mother was momentarily satisfied, he stepped closer to the table and announced he was hungry.

* * *

Dinner was over quickly. Adelia had tried talking to him a few times, but he only gave short answers, so after her first few tries, she had given up. Neither his mother or Mithian had noticed his behaviour, so he supposed he was lucky for the time being. That was, until Gwen turned to him and ordered him to show the princess his playroom. "Mommy, do I have to? I have nothing for her to play with! She's a girl, and all of my toys are for boys." His mother's eyes narrowed. "William Arthur Pendragon, you will take Adelia to your playroom, and you better make sure you don't 'accidentally' lose her somewhere in the castle! She's younger than you, so you will take care of her. Better yet, you take her hand and lead her there. Sara will be waiting for you."

So that was how he found himself hand in hand with a _girl_ of all things. She was chattering away about something, but he hadn't been listening. When it was suddenly silent and he felt her hand tugging his, he realised he must have missed something. "What?" The girl was staring at him with a slightly hurt look on her face. "I only asked if you thinked my little brother was going to be okay without me and mommy," she said sadly. He sighed. "Yes, yes, he'll be okay. Now come on!" He tugged her forward again, and she thankfully remained quiet for the rest of the way.

Sara had been waiting for them, and as soon as he saw her, he released the girl's hand and wiped his on his pants. Looking at his nanny, he said: "You can tell my mommy I've been a good boy and I've held her hand the whole way here!" Then he ran past her, jumped on his bed and closed the curtains around it, so no one could see him anymore. Outside his 'safe haven', he heard Sara greet the _girl_ gently and in no time, the two were laughing and playing. Great! Now even his nanny was betraying him!

The next few days proceeded in much the same way, with William hiding on his bed, refusing to play with the princess. When Sara forced him to come out on the fifth day, claiming he just needed to spend time with Adelia so he would get to know her, he saw they had set out his set of wooden figures of knights and horses. It was something they could play together. Sara left them to get a snack. Deciding Adelia could take the figures with the green capes, and William would take those with the red capes, they suddenly came to the conclusion that the prince had a lot more toys. Adelia said she would take the toy king, and they would call it even. However, that was William's favourite figure and he refused to give it up. Of course this led to a rather loud argument between the two.

"But you already have a lot of knights! So I should get the king!" "No! It's my toys! And so it's my king!" "That's not fair! I can't help it that I have no toys here! All of mine are at home!" "Well, you're in my castle now, so I'm the boss here!" "Well, then I don't want to be in your stupid castle anymore! And I don't want to play with your stupid toys either!" They were both standing up by this time. William gasped. "My castle is NOT stupid! It's beautiful and nice and warm and… and… HOME! Take that back or I'll… I'll…" Adelia had balled her fists and was glaring. "You'll what?" "I'll pull your hair!" Now the princess was the one to gasp. "You wouldn't! I'll tell my mommy! And I won't take it back. Your castle is stupid!" William's face reddened. He jumped forward and pulled one of Adelia's two braids. "Aauuw!" The girl reacted and swung her arm at him, hitting him in the stomach.

Before the fight could continue, Sara entered the chambers at a run. She had heard the commotion from the end of the hallway. "What are you doing?! Stop this immediately! William! I expected better of you. I will have to tell both of your mothers that you were fighting." By now, the two children had separated and were standing two meters away from each other, both with arms crossed and throwing angry looks at the other. At the word mothers, the children's eyes widened. But however much they tried, they could not talk the nanny into staying quiet.

That evening, both received a talk from their mothers, who were very displeased. On top of that, they each received a punishment for after the visit. However, their relationship did not get better after that. In fact, it only got worse. Both blamed the other for what had happened and the consequences. Even years later, the two were found either ignoring each other or fighting.

* * *

A month after Williams eighteenth birthday, a feast was to be given to pronounce him as crown prince of Camelot and Albion. The days before the feast, the guests from the different kingdoms within Albion began arriving, all wanting to celebrate. William had been busy greeting the guests and showing them to their appointed rooms. Two days before the banquet, the arrival of the Nemethian party was announced, so the prince hurried to the courtyard. He hadn't seen Mithian since her visit last year, so he wanted to be there to greet her. When he arrived in the courtyard, he noticed the party that was arriving was slightly larger than usual. He hadn't asked his mother who would be coming, he had just assumed it would be Mithian and prince Adrian, like it had been a few times over the last few years. Even though the prince was a few years younger than him, they had played together.

He found out the reason for the larger group of knights only after he had helped the Queen from her horse, greeting her with an embrace. When they parted, she smiled at him and waved her hand to present the others who had been riding with her. He recognized the prince and threw a smile in his direction, which was answered with a grin from the fourteen-year-old. "William, may I present you to my husband, Henry. I don't believe you've met him, since he never joined me on my visits. And during your few visits at Nemeth, he was always away to protect the lands. Henry, this is prince William Pendragon." A man with a friendly face came to stand next to the Queen, bowing his head at William. The prince did the same. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Sire. I've heard a lot about you from your Queen." "It's a pleasure indeed. I, too, heard a lot about you, from Mithian, Adrian and Adelia." Henry smirked.

A wince flashed over the prince's face. Suddenly, Mithian smiled slyly, before waving her hand behind her. "Speaking of Adelia, I believe the two of you know each other, so I needn't introduce her, do I?" William froze. He looked behind the Queen, noticing a girl still sitting on her horse. "Well, go on, she'll need help getting down." A huff sounded from under the veil the girl was wearing. "I don't _need_ help. You just insist I have to be a proper princess and wait until someone helps me down." Only after William had helped the girl down, did she lift the veil. The prince frowned. "That's not princess Adelia! She's much smaller and… and…"

He turned around to find quite a few people in the courtyard watching in amusement. "I think I would recognise my own daughter, William." Mithian spoke. "Yes, I think mother would notice if someone had taken my place. I am the girl that hit you during my first visit here, after you pulled my braid," the princess spoke regally. The prince turned to Adelia again and spoke with a cold tone. "I didn't expect to see you here, _princess_. You've… changed." She huffed again. "Well, I didn't exactly want to come, but my mother forced me. And what did you expect? That I hadn't changed in the past five years?" William cocked his head. Had it really been that long since he had seen her? Yes, well, he had refused to go with his mother when she went to visit Nemeth when he was fourteen, and every time after that. Likewise, Adelia had refused to come to Camelot since she was twelve. Both Queens had sighed, but they knew they would not manage to get the two stubborn children to like each other if the children didn't want it. Secretly, they had even been relieved they wouldn't have to deal with the fights anymore.

The prince almost rolled his eyes. "Let's just get inside." He turned around and started walking in the direction their parents were standing. From behind him, he heard a cough. Turning back, he saw Adelia looking at him with raised eyebrows. "You're supposed to escort me in, I believe." William sighed before mumbling "Great, just great…" "I hate to admit it, but I agree with you on that at least." William hid a smile and held out his arm, waiting until the girl had placed her hand in the crook of his elbow before starting the walk inside. They didn't speak to each other for the rest of the day.

Later that night, Merlin found William hiding in his room instead of sitting in one of the comfortable chambers with his mother, where he usually could be found. "Let me guess, you're avoiding princess Adelia, who is sitting with her parents and Gwen." The warlock was smiling slightly. He had always been amused when the two young royals were forced to spend time together. He imagined that had been the way Arthur and Morgana had once interacted, before Merlin had come to Camelot. William just glared at him. "She's really not that bad, you know. She's grown up since you last met. And so have you. Maybe you should give her a chance." "Don't start, uncle Merlin. It's their first night here, so I doubt Mithian and mom will want to deal with a fight between the two of us."

Merlin went to sit on the bed, where the prince was sitting against a pile of pillows with a book in his hands. "You'll have to speak with her at some point, William. You're both first in line for the throne. It wouldn't do for the two of you to keep fighting. You'll have to learn to get along, so why not start now?" William grumbled before answering. "Because… Because she's annoying! You heard her today! I didn't mean what I said about it not being her. I was just surprised. I knew she would have changed in the last few years, but I wasn't even expecting her here. And then she immediately pointed out that she hit me when I pulled her braid. That was 12 years ago, uncle Merlin! You'd think she would have gotten over it by now. I don't know if she's changed all that much mentally, even if the physical changes are noticeable. I mean, I expected her to have grown. I just didn't expect her to be this… grown up and fair-skinned and her lashes look longer and her lips so red and she has a very feminine figure, I noticed when I helped her down. I guess I didn't think she'd ever be this… this _pretty_."

At some point, he had started rambling. Merlin had been sitting there, listening to him. He nodded a few times, but at the same time, understanding was blooming in his mind. When the prince used the word 'pretty', he almost groaned. Of course. He should have expected something like this to happen. Even though the prince was oblivious to it, he had a crush on the girl, and that after only seeing her once. His annoyance was just a way to try to convince himself that he would never like the girl. What was it about Pendragons and their tendency to like a girl that seemed impossible to get for them?

* * *

**AN: Another one, I know, I'm sorry.**

**Originally, this was going to be a one-shot, but the story is getting longer than expected. So there will be another chapter after this one. Don't know when that will be up though, probably not too long. But I have a few presentations next week, so I'd like to focus on that. If it's any consolation, most of the second chapter is already written.**

**But anyway, thank you for reading! **

**And for more about William (child and teenager), I suggest reading my other stories.**


	2. Realising

**AN: I got the meaning of the flower from 'Wikipedia'. Although I don't know if they had orchids at that time (probably not, but it's a detail…)**

**On with the story!**

* * *

Over the next few days, William tried to stay out of Adelia's way as much as possible. Whenever he was forced to spend some time in her presence, however, he had difficulties to keep his eyes averted. To avoid her, he had suggested giving Adrian a tour of the city and inviting him to training. At dinner, he made sure he was seated next to the prince, so he could strike up a conversation with him. Today, however, that would be impossible, since it was the day of his coronation, and at the feast, he was supposed to sit close to the other heirs, which meant he would be seated next to Adelia.

Two hours before the ceremony, William was getting ready in his chambers when his mother entered. She was already dressed in one of her beautiful gowns. "Hi, love. Nervous?" He turned to his mother with a smile on his face. "Not really. The lines have been drilled into my head by uncle Leon and besides that, there's not much I need to do, is there? I've met all of the guests already, and it's not the first time I face a large crowd. Mom, you've prepared me well enough for all of this. You nervous?" The Queen bit her lip and nodded. "It's not that I don't trust you, honey, because I know you're ready. It's just, you're all grown up now. Sometimes I wish you were still that little boy that ran around the castle naked."

A shocked look appeared on William's face. "I did NOT run around the castle NAKED!" Gwen smiled. "Alright, half-dressed then. But the point is, you're an adult now. You know, I was present at your father's coronation too. I just wish he was here to see you." She noticed William's eyes going to a point behind her. "Oh, right, never mind I said that. He's right behind me, isn't he?"

"Yes. Mom, don't worry, it'll be fine. And I may be an adult, but I'm not moving out, am I? It's just a coronation, and afterwards, everything will go back to how it was." His mother smiled slightly. "Including you fighting with Adelia? You've been avoiding her lately." William blushed. "I haven't. I've just… been spending time with Adrian. See, at least I get along with one of Mithian's children." "Yes, I just wish you'd get along with Adelia too. She's a really nice girl, intelligent, gentle… Very much like Mithian. Which is why I don't understand why you dislike her so much." "I don't dislike her, it's just… I don't know, something about her makes me behave differently, and I don't like it."

Gwen contemplated that and a soft smile appeared on her face. "Right. Well, tonight, you'll be sitting next to her. So please, love, behave and try to at least talk to her." William sighed. "Fine, I'll be nice." "Good." He let his mother pull him into a hug, putting his arms around her in return automatically. He had grown taller than her a few years ago, but he still enjoyed her hugs as much as he had when he was a little boy. After their hug, Guinevere left him to continue getting ready.

* * *

The ceremony went without a hitch. At some point, William was sure he saw tears in his mother's eyes, but she had managed to hold them back. Merlin too had a few difficult moments. Behind them, Arthur had been smiling proudly, though no one but William had been able to see.

Now, everyone was sitting in the dining hall for the feast, enjoying the delicious dishes. Next to him, Adelia was fiddling with her napkin, looking a bit bored. Remembering what his mother had asked him, William turned to talk to her. "Done eating already, my lady?" Adelia looked up at him, eyes wide. "I… Yes, I wasn't really hungry. It was delicious though." She smiled shyly. "Are you enjoying your stay in Camelot?" "I am, thank you my lord. I always did enjoy Camelot when I was younger. It's a beautiful castle, Camelot is much warmer than Nemeth." William grimaced when she called him my lord. "William, please. My lord makes me feel old. And I suppose the only reason you disliked coming to Camelot was me, huh?" She laughed. "Maybe you should call me Adelia, then. And yes, I believe it was. Except that time I beat you in the hunt. I enjoyed that."

William scowled. Just when he thought that they could perhaps get along, she had to say something like that. "You did not beat me… I … I let you win!" "No you didn't! But continue thinking that if it makes you feel better." Before the prince could continue the argument, Merlin, who had been walking in their direction, intervened. "You know, Mithian beat Arthur in hunting too. It doesn't really matter, does it? I mean, you're killing innocent creatures! I think it would be much more fun if the rabbits and deer managed to beat you." Both of the teenagers gasped and exclaimed at the same time "You can't be serious! Hunting is fun!", before looking at each other and blushing. The sight brought a smile on Merlin's face, and he turned around to go talk to Gwen and Mithian.

The prince and princess stayed quiet for a few moments. "Uhm, maybe we should find another topic of conversation," William suggested. Adelia bit her lip (which William secretly thought was cute). "Right. Uhm, you've been spending the last few days with my brother, haven't you?" The prince nodded. "I have. He's come to training a few times. He's rather good with a sword. And he told me he had never had a tour of the city, even though he's come to Camelot a few times." The girl cocked her head to the side. "I don't think I've ever had a tour either." "I can give you one, if you like?" William shrugged, without thinking. When he realised what he had offered, his eyes widened. Next to him, Adelia blushed again, also wide-eyed. "Oh… I… I'd like that." She gave him an shy smile again. The newly crowned prince smiled back, inwardly thumping his head against a wall. "Right. You're staying for a few more days, aren't you? We can go tomorrow or something. After lunch?" Adelia agreed. After that, they talked about something William would be hard pressed to remember for a few more minutes before he excused himself to go talk to another of the crown princes.

When he was finally back in his room, William dropped down on his bed. "What did I do? How could I have been so stupid? I don't even like the girl! I bet we'll start fighting after five minutes, and then everyone will see. And then she'll run off and get lost and be mugged and mom and Mithian will blame me…" He almost fell off his bed when he heard someone else speak. "That's a bit dramatic, no? Oh, and talking to yourself is the first sign of going crazy." Facing the direction the voice was coming from, William saw his dad. "Dad! You scared me. Besides, some people already think I'm crazy, almost no one believes I can see you and talk to you."

Arthur chuckled. "Yes, well, maybe you shouldn't talk to me in public then." "That was one time! And you were annoying me!" Another burst of laughter from his father. "So, what were you moaning about just now?" "I wasn't… Fine, dad, I need your help! I told Adelia I would show her around Camelot, but we don't get along, at all. And maybe, perhaps, I think I may like her a little. Mind, only a little! But she hates me! So you need to help me make her like me. Please!" The former King looked at his son with a regretful smile on his face. "Sorry, I can't help you with that. Not one of my strengths. I do have to admit, she's very pretty. Maybe Merlin could help you, though." The last was said enthusiastically. William snorted. "Thanks, dad…"

* * *

The following morning, William thought about it, and decided that going to Merlin for help couldn't exactly make things worse. When he finally found him, he grabbed his arm and dragged him to an empty room. "I need your help! Dad said you could tell me how to make Adelia like me." Merlin looked at him questioningly. "Why would you want that? I thought you didn't like her? You said she was annoying."

The warlock had an infuriating smirk on his face, as if he knew why, but he wanted to hear William say it. William groaned. "Please, uncle Merlin." "You didn't answer my question." The prince grumbled. "I think you know why." "How would I know that? Contrary to popular belief, I can't read minds, William." The boy groaned. "You want to hear me say it, don't you? Fine, I may have started liking her, as in, I may have a crush on her. Mind, it's a possibility, it's not a sure thing."

Merlin grinned widely. "Of course. Well, why didn't you say that earlier. Why are you asking my help though? Advice about girls is something you should ask your father for, not me. I've never been married." "Dad said to ask you. He told me it wasn't one of his strengths." The warlock started laughing. "Oh, that's what he said? He was rubbish with girls! I wonder how he ever even managed to marry Gwen. Every romantic gesture he ever did for her was suggested by me. Like the time…"

Merlin went on talking, but William was distracted when Arthur appeared next to Merlin wide-eyed. "He's lying! Make him shut up!" "Uncle Merlin! It's nice to hear about my parents, but I need some advice. Besides, dad said you're lying. Although, I think I believe you more than him." Next to Merlin, his father was narrowing his eyes. "Oh, thanks, William. Aren't you supposed to choose my side?"

William ignored him and looked at his uncle imploringly. "There's no real way to make a girl like you. The only thing I can tell you is to be yourself. Of course, it helps when you make a nice gesture, like giving her flowers, but you won't win her heart that way. Why do you suddenly want to know now, when, until yesterday, you were avoiding her?" "I accidentally offered her to give her a tour of the city. This afternoon." Another wide grin appeared on Merlin's face. "How do you accidentally do that?" "I told her I'd given Adrian a tour because he had never seen the city, and then she told me she's never had one either, and I wasn't thinking, and before I knew it, I offered. And then she accepted, and I couldn't withdraw my offer then, could I? And then we agreed to go this afternoon, so now I need some advice," William rambled nervously.

"William, calm down. She's not going to bite. Adelia is a nice girl, and she's probably just as nervous as you are. You're a handsome boy, and she's a teenage girl, and I'm willing to bet that she hasn't been in this situation before. Just, when you meet her, give her a flower. I'd suggest an orchid, which means 'unrefined beauty', so a compliment to her. And don't forget to say she looks lovely. Talk about different subjects and don't talk about yourself all the time. Ask her to tell you about herself. You have to show you're interested in getting to know her. And don't be arrogant! That was your father's biggest fault. I know you're good, and she probably knows that too, but she doesn't want to hear that all the time." William had been paying a lot of attention, but he had still seen the angry glare Arthur threw at Merlin after the 'arrogant' comment. "Okay, flower, looks lovely, calm, ask questions, no arrogance. Did I get everything?" His uncle chuckled. "I think so." "Good. Thank you, uncle. Now I have to get ready." He turned to leave the room. However, when he reached to door, he stopped. "Uhm, uncle? Where do I get the flower?"

* * *

After lunch, William went up to Adelia's chambers, with an orchid Merlin had conjured. He knocked on the door to her chambers and waited. A maid opened the door and curtsied when she saw him. "My lord. How can I help you? I've been assigned to the lady Adelia, but I don't think the lady would mind if I helped you." He smiled at her. "It's alright, Hazel. I'm here for Adelia. I agreed to give her a tour of the town. Could you get her for me? Oh, and it's William. How many time do I have to tell you?" She looked down and smiled slightly. "At least a few more times, my lord. I'll get the lady."

She went into the room and a minute later, Adelia appeared at the door, smiling shyly. She was wearing a green dress that accentuated her curves. William had to swallow once or twice before speaking. "Hi. Uhm, you look lovely." She blushed. "Thank you." "I… I've got something for you." He offered her the flower in the pot. "Oh, wow, it's a beautiful flower. Thank you. You didn't need to do that. You're already giving up some of your time to give me the tour." He shrugged. "It's not a problem. Are you ready?" "Almost, I just need to get my shawl."

When Hazel appeared next to her with the item, she smiled at the girl. "Oh, thank you, Hazel. You can take a few hours off, since I won't be here anyway." Hazel curtsied again before answering. "Thank you, my lady." Adelia rolled her eyes, making William smile widely. "You can call me Adelia, you know. I don't like to be called 'my lady'" Hazel nodded, bid the two of them a good afternoon and walked off down the hall. "So, we should be off too, shouldn't we?" William asked, offering his arm to the princess, who put her hand in the crook of his elbow again. They walked off.

The two had been walking for about half an hour, talking about a few unimportant subjects, since William hadn't gathered the courage to ask her about herself yet, when Adelia became serious and turned to William. "Can I ask you something?" "Sure, ask away." "Well, before the feast, you seemed to be avoiding me, and then now, you're being nice. What changed?" William hesitated "I… My mom asked me to be nice, before the feast and to talk to you." Adelia looked affronted. "So you only started being nice to me because your mother forced you? And here I thought you'd changed." "What? No, I have! She didn't force me!" "You just said she asked you to be nice! And you clearly didn't make any effort before she did that. And to think, I actually started liking you! So thank you for fooling me and for the tour, but I'm going back now." She turned around. William grabbed her hand.

"Oh, no you don't! I'm not letting you run off and then get attacked. Your mother would have my head. You're staying with me, and we're finishing the tour." Adelia tugged her arm to get free. "I don't want to go on the tour with you!" "You wanted to yesterday!" "Well, I don't want it anymore! Let me go! I'll find my own way back, thank you very much!" She stomped her foot. Their fight was attracting an audience, but they didn't care. "Oh, come on, Adelia! At least finish the tour! I'm not doing this because my mom asked me to. You said you'd never seen the town, so I offered. I'm being nice because I want to!" "But it didn't start that way, did it? And that's princess Adelia to you!" William groaned. "You asked me to call you Adelia yesterday. And I want to do this. I have changed, you know. So let me prove that. Look, if you want to return to the castle, okay, we'll go back. But will you just give me a chance. Don't start avoiding me after we return, okay?" Adelia looked everywhere but his face, but agreed to what he said. William let go of her hand.

In the end, they continued on their tour, not speaking about anything but the town. When they returned, they split up, each going to his or her own chambers. William dropped down on his bed. "Well, that could have gone better." "Could have been worse too." For the second time in as many days, William was startled. "Dad! You spied on me?" "Didn't have anything else to do. Afterlife is rather boring, you know. Look, don't despair yet. Your mother yelled at me a few times too." The last was said with a fond smile. William rolled his eyes. "But you won't tell me how you managed to change her mind, will you?" Arthur shook his head. "No. It's not something I can help you with. It's different for everyone. You just have to find your own way." After that, William watched his father's form fade away.

* * *

**AN: I'm sorry! I've been busy the last few days, so I haven't been able to write much. And the story is getting longer and longer, without my permission. Both William and Adelia are stubborn people! So I know I said there would only be two chapters, but I fear there's going to be a third. **

**Anyway, enjoy!**


	3. The end

**AN: So, this is the last chapter of this story. Enjoy!**

* * *

The next day, William had the feeling Adelia did try to avoid him. It was mid-afternoon, and he hadn't seen her all day. He was annoyed, but he let it pass, since he knew his mother and he would have dinner with Mithian's family that evening. To pass the time, he went looking for Adrian to invite him for a sparring match. He couldn't find the boy either, however, but he ran into Mithian's husband, Henry. They greeted each other and ended up walking to the training field together, where they found Camelot knights and Nemethian knights having friendly duels. The two of them stayed at the side lines, watching the proceedings.

"Camelot has a set of very fine knights, the best in all of the kingdoms of Albion, I've heard. I can see they weren't lying. They've defeated all of mine." William turned his head to the man. "Your knights? You're the First Knight of Nemeth then?" Henry nodded. "Yes, I have been for the past five years. I didn't want the title at first, because I didn't want anyone to think Mithian gave it to me because I was her husband. In the end, the knights decided it for me, putting it to a vote. Since almost all of them voted to make me the First Knight, I accepted." He looked at William now. "I heard you refused the title yourself a few weeks ago. As crown prince, the title should automatically go to you. And no one could deny your skills as a warrior."

William turned to look at the knights again, where Leon was now talking to one of the younger knights of Nemeth. "I want to earn the title. I have no battle experience, so it didn't feel right. Uncle Leon's been leading the knights since my father died. He's getting on in age, but he can still hold that position for a few more years. I'm one of the younger knights, so there are a lot more people who can fill the position and deserve it. Maybe we could follow your example and hold a vote when Leon retires, see who the men want as their leader."

Henry clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Your father proved himself to be a good leader, even though he was just as young as you are now when he took command of the knights. And he was a fair and just King. I have no doubt you will make him proud. In the meantime, maybe I should go and tell my daughter she was very wrong about you. She always used to rant about how arrogant you were, but you've just shown me the complete opposite." The prince's cheeks turned pink at the mention of Adelia. Henry just smiled slyly before turning. The older man left William standing next to the training field, walking back to the castle himself.

There was a whisper next to the boy. "Seems like someone else has noticed your infatuation with the princess." William groaned before speaking quietly. "Seriously? You're following me everywhere now? I don't need this. And it's not an infatuation." Arthur chuckled. "Oh, my son, it is… And why wouldn't I follow you? This is your first real crush, I've never seen you like this, it's fascinating." William started speaking in a warning tone. "Dad… maybe I should ask uncle Merlin if there is a way to get rid of you. An exorcism of sorts or something." Arthur narrowed his eyes. "You wouldn't…" The prince sighed. "No, I wouldn't. At least this way, I can get to know you. Doesn't mean I don't miss having a father, sometimes." He felt as if there was a breeze going through his hair, although the leaves on the trees were completely still. "I know. I'm sorry. But Henry was right, you know, I am proud of you." William smiled, before turning to go back to the castle.

* * *

It was time for dinner, and William was waiting eagerly. His family would dine with Mithian's so Adelia would not be able to avoid him. By some stroke of luck, or maybe Merlin's interference, he was seated next to the princess. After the servants put the food on the table, he turned to her and spoke quietly so no one would overhear. "Hey. I haven't seen you all day. Are you okay?" Her eyes flashed to his face for a moments before going back to her plate. "I'm fine, thank you. No need to be concerned about me. How have you been?" she answered in a cool voice, keeping it down too. "I'm fine. But I have the feeling you've been avoiding me." Straight to the point. William had never been a great fan of beating around the bush. Again, Adelia answered with her cool voice. "What does it matter? I'm only the daughter of your mother's best friend, no need to pretend to like me."

William groaned quietly. "Come on, Adelia. I told you it's not like that. Okay, mother asked me to, but you know me better than that. Think back to when we were younger. Did I ever listen to her about being nice to you?" "I… No, I suppose you didn't. But…" A look of confusion appeared on her face. The prince felt slightly hurt. "Right, I get it. You'll just contradict everything I say, so I might as well shut up. Don't worry about me spoiling your night. Enjoy your dinner." He turned back to his own food. After a few more moments, he heard Adelia pick up her cutlery to continue eating. The rest of their dinner was spent in silence, both of them sneaking a look at the other from the corner of their eye when they knew he or she wasn't looking.

At the same time, Mithian and Henry were sitting across the table, observing the two of them. Just like the two teenagers, they were speaking quietly. "Huh, he likes her," was Mithian's slightly surprised conclusion after she had seen the hurt flash on William's face. Henry smiled. "He does." His wife turned to him. "You knew? How long have you known?" "I heard some rumours about their visit to the lower town yesterday, which made me suspect something. But he confirmed I this afternoon, unknowingly of course, with his reaction when I mentioned Adelia." Mithian was curious. "Oh?" Henry smiled. "He blushed." A tinkling laugh escaped from the Queen. "Really? He's become rather good at hiding his feelings the last few years. Adelia seems to affect him quite a lot then." Her husband hummed.

"And you're okay with it? I would have expected you to challenge him to a duel or something, for liking your little girl." Henry rolled his eyes. "I'm not that bad. Sure, I don't like to think about my daughter with a boy, but you have to admit, she's hardly little anymore. And challenging him to a duel would only result in him beating me. I've heard of his fighting skills, love." Mithian laughed again. "Right, I'm supposed to say you can beat him, aren't I?" "That is what's expected from you, yes. But I know it would be a lie, and I don't want you to become a liar, my sweet lady." Mithian blushed.

Henry sighed. "Besides, Adelia could do a lot worse than William. I want the best for my little girl, and I'm starting to think there won't be anyone better than the prince of Camelot. They make a striking pair, don't they?" Both of them looked across the table at the teenagers, who were both pretending not to notice each other. While they were observing them, William chanced a look at the princess. "Yes, they do. It gives me a picture of how Arthur and I could have looked together, since both of them look so much like us."

Henry considered this. "You're right. I forgot you were once planning to marry Arthur Pendragon. I suppose he could have been good for you, if he hadn't been so in love with his Guinevere." Mithian laughed. "He was very handsome, and I did not object to the marriage." Seeing her husband's face turn slightly darker, she smiled. "Relax. I may have liked Arthur, but I never loved him the way I love you. Besides, I didn't know you at the time. But I suppose you are grateful he still loved Guinevere. If he hadn't, you would not have had a chance with me." "And I would not have a beautiful daughter for a prince to fall in love with."

A puzzled look appeared on Mithian's face. "You really would be okay with it if William courted Adelia, wouldn't you? What did he say or do to make that happen? I've seen you glaring at some young men who only looked at her." "I told you we had a talk this afternoon. He showed me that he is not some spoiled prince. He rejected the position of First Knight, because he wants to earn it, although it is his birth right. He showed humbleness. And it helps that Adelia actually likes him."

Now the Queen looked surprised. "How did you figure that out? As far as I know, she has always been complaining about him, saying he's arrogant, spoiled and a bully. Were you listening in last night when she told me about their fight and how she felt?" Henry laughed. "No, I wasn't. But a girl only complains so much about a boy when she likes him. You forget, love, that I have three sisters. All of them used to complain about a boy at some point, and all of them married that same boy a while after. I saw her watching William and I when we were talking. On top of that, she has been sneaking glances at him the whole time now. I tried to convince her to give him a chance before dinner, but she was hesitant. We'll see how the night ends." Mithian nodded. After that, they were drawn in conversation by other guests.

* * *

When dinner was over, William slipped away to the balcony unnoticed. Or so he thought anyway. What he didn't know, was that quite a few people had been paying attention, like his mother, Merlin, Mithian, Henry and Adelia. The latter was standing in the dining hall, facing the balcony, uncertain whether she should go after him or not. She knew he had been hurt by her dismissal. Suddenly, she felt a presence behind her and a hand landed on her shoulder. "Go on, sweetheart. You know you want to go after him." She looked back at the person talking to her. "I do. But I don't know if he'll accept me now. And shouldn't you want to keep me away from boys, daddy?" Henry smiled at his daughter. "I should. But like I said before dinner, you could do a lot worse. As long as I stay the most important man in your life, I'm okay with it. And he will accept you, honey. Don't worry." "Thank you, daddy."

Adelia went over to the windows leading to the balcony and slipped through them. She saw William instantly. He was leaning against the railing, his back to her. She went to stand closer to him and looked at what he was watching. She waited a moment before speaking. "It's beautiful out here." William looked around, startled. "Oh! I didn't hear you step outside. I'll just… I'm done looking. I'll leave you to enjoy the view." He turned around and went to step past her to get inside. The prince stilled when he felt a hand on his arm. "No, wait. You can stay. I mean, I wanted to talk to you." "Oh. Uhm, is there anything you need?"

Adelia looked at the floor. "No, it's just… I wanted to apologise. During dinner, I didn't mean to act so cold. I'm just… confused. I believe that you wanted to be nice, because you're right, you never listened to your mother before. At least not when it came to me. But when I arrived, you acted like all the times before, and then suddenly, you changed. And I didn't know what to think of that." "Any idea what to think now or are you still confused?" She smiled a small smile. "Still a little confused. But I'm willing to find out how much you've changed, if you're willing to give me another chance."

William grinned. "I guess I could do that. So, do you want to enjoy the view with me? I must say, this is my favourite place to watch Camelot." Adelia stepped closer to the balustrade to lean against it, next to where the prince had retaken his place. She had to admit, the view was spectacular. Beneath them, they could see the torches flickering on the courtyard. Beyond the gates, there were fires lighting the most-travelled roads of the town. Although it was nearing eleven p.m., there were still people walking the streets. And then, further away, they could still see the edge of the forest, lit up by moonlight.

She was speechless, only one word came to mind. "Wow." William looked at Adelia. "It's something, huh? I sometimes come up here to think. From here, I can observe the people that will one day look to me for guidance." "It's something alright. I don't think we have a view like this in Nemeth." She turned to face him. "I think, when the day comes that the people look to you for guidance, that you will be ready. Father said he spoke to you, and that he was certain you will make a great King. I know sometimes it's hard, knowing these people rely on you, or will rely on you. But in the end, you have to believe in yourself, just like they believe in you."

During her speech, Adelia had unconsciously put her hand on William's, which was still resting on the railing. Now, William turned his palm up, taking her hand. "Thank you for believing that. I know you feel the same pressures, so coming from you, it means a lot. And I know, that one day, you'll make a wonderful Queen." Adelia had realised her hand's position when the prince took it and was now blushing. "I… You're welcome. Uhm, maybe I should… go back inside. Yes… Uhm, I didn't mean to interrupt." She tried to tug her hand away, but William was holding on to it. "You didn't interrupt. Uhm, you can stay… If you want to, at least. 'cause if you don't, I'll let you get back inside." "I wouldn't mind staying, but I'm a little cold, so…"

William realised that, unlike him, she was wearing a dress consisting of only a thin material. "Oh, you should have said you were cold earlier. Here, take my cloak, I'm still wearing a jacket." He unclasped his cloak and swung it around her shoulders. Adelia bit her lip. "Thank you. I suppose I could stay out here a little longer now." The prince grinned. A comfortable silence fell between them, both turning back to watch the town. After a while, William decided to break it. 'I was wondering, maybe we could… take a walk… tomorrow I mean, not tonight, since obviously, it's way too late now. But tomorrow morning, or afternoon… Or we could go riding? And take some food with us. The weather is supposed to be nice tomorrow. And I could show you the woods around the town."

He was rambling, he realised, shutting his mouth the moment realisation struck. He looked at Adelia nervously. She smiled shyly. "I'd like that. The riding and taking food, I mean. Tomorrow morning? Shall we say ten?" William nodded, then cleared his throat to answer. "Yes, that's fine." Adelia copied the movement of his head. "Right. Uhm, I'm tired, and I'll need to be well-rested, so I'll leave you here. Thank you, for the cloak… and the invitation. Uhm, goodnight." Before she could really think things through, she stood on the tips of her toes and kissed his cheek before hurriedly turning away and going inside. She didn't notice the way William's eyes widened and the way his cheeks turned almost bright red. Neither did she notice their parents and Merlin all standing, talking, suspiciously close to the window she came through. Five minutes later, William came inside again, only to retreat to his chambers quickly.

* * *

That night, both of the teenagers had a hard time falling asleep. In the morning, William searched the castle for Hazel. He figured she would know what Adelia liked for lunch, so that he would know what to pack for their picnic. After that was prepared, he went to the stables to get the horses ready, doing it himself rather than ordering someone else to do it. When he met Adelia in the courtyard later, everything was ready to go. He helped the princess on her horse and was getting on his own when his uncles Percival and Merlin joined them, seated on their own horses. William closed his eyes for a moment and jumped down again, motioning his uncles to do the same. He took them a small distance away.

"What are you doing?" Percival smirked. "Ensuring your safety, Your Highness. Both you and princess Adelia are heir to a throne, so we should keep you safe." The prince narrowed his eyes. "Oh, really? You have no problem with letting me ride out on my own, but now that I'm taking Adelia out, you suddenly fear for my safety? We're not going far. There is no need to come. And since when do you use my proper title, uncle Percival?" The giant man shrugged. Merlin butted in. "Well, what if you get attacked, William? You'll be a lot safer with Percival there. You know, two swords to fight…" "Oh, come on, uncle Merlin! You know we'll be safe. And I have my sword with me, and a crossbow. I've heard Adelia is rather good at shooting a crossbow. And I'm sure she can hold her own with a sword too. I'll just take another sword then. See, no need for protection."

Merlin just smirked. "Well, maybe not if you're attacked physically. So I get why Percival needn't come. But what if they attack with magic? You'll need me there, surely?" Again, William narrowed his eyes, this time in Merlin's direction. "No, we won't. Because no one is going to attack us. And don't think I've forgotten you placed a spell on me so you would know if I was attacked. You'd find me in a heartbeat. So we're going alone." The warlock considered this. "Alright. But I'm only thinking about the lady you're taking out. Who knows, maybe she needs protection from you…" "What?! I'm not…" Realising his voice had gotten rather high, William cleared his throat and spoke in a lower voice. "I can't believe you would think that! I thought you knew me better than that, uncle Merlin. I would never do something like that."

Merlin rolled his eyes and smiled. "Of course I do. I was only joking, William. Now, your lady is waiting. So, go on, get out of here. Don't worry, Percival and I are going on a trip to a village east from here, where they need my help to treat an illness. Your mother really is overprotective, I don't need a knight with me… But if it makes her happy… And I'm sure the only reason she's letting you go without a guard has to do with your guardian angel. But if I may suggest someplace? Go to the lake four miles south of here. I've put a protection spell on the clearing at the banks of it, the one where I took you to teach you how to swim. No other sorcerers can get close to it. Now, go have fun." He waved William away. The prince threw him an appreciative smile and got on his horse.

From the balcony off the dining room, Guinevere and Mithian were watching their children ride away. "Huh. Who would have ever thought? And to think, when they were little, we feared for the peace between our kingdoms," Mithian remarked. Gwen laughed slightly. "Hmm, we did. But maybe we should have seen this coming. After all, isn't there a saying about boys who pull a girl's pigtails?" Her friend started laughing with her. "Yes, maybe we should have. Somehow, Henry saw this coming before I did."

They were silent for a moment, before Mithian spoke again. "I'm surprised you let him go off without a few knights for protection. And at the same time, you appointed Percival to go with Merlin." Gwen nodded. "That's because Merlin can't fight with a sword to save his life. He's powerful, yes, but if something happens to his magic, he's vulnerable. I have seen William fight, however, so I know he's capable of defending himself and Adelia. Besides, you know what happened when he was four. And on top of that, Merlin would know if something went wrong and would be able to get to them." Mithian considered Gwen's answer. "Hmm, you're probably right. Rumours are spreading across the whole of Albion about William's incredible luck, never getting hurt on patrols or missions." The two of them went back inside when they realised they couldn't see their children anymore.

* * *

Meanwhile, William and Adelia were enjoying their ride through the forest. William had seen the advantages of going to the lake Merlin had recommended. They wouldn't be attacked there, which would give them an opportunity to relax. Besides, it was a beautiful place. The whole ride, they were talking comfortably, telling each other what had changed in the few years they hadn't visited each other's kingdoms. After that subject had been exhausted, Adelia looked at William questioningly. "So, how does it feel to be crowned now?" The prince shrugged. "Should I feel different? I don't know. It feels the same to me. I know my duties will start to get more demanding, but for now everything feels the same." "You'll get to travel to other kingdoms as a representative now. You went with your mother before, but now you'll go alone. I think it will be different."

William considered this. "I guess. I mean, I know it will be different, but different isn't bad, right? And in a few years, you'll get to do the same. If we coordinate a little, we should be able to meet up more often." He had been hesitant about saying the last sentence, but was glad he had when he saw the wide smile on Adelia's face. "I'd like that. At least I'll have someone my own age to talk to, then."

After an hour of riding, they reached the lake. William jumped off his horse and stepped closer to Adelia's to help her down. When he put her down, right in front of him, he noticed she was at least six inches shorter than him. He was so distracted by that, that he forgot his hands were still holding her waist. While he was looking down, Adelia looked up into his face, biting her lip slightly. "Thank you." "You're welcome." His answer was given automatically, but with a distracted voice. Adelia kept looking up at him. "Adelia, I'm going to kiss you now, so please don't hit me." The princess only smiled a beautiful smile, put her hands on his shoulders and raised up on her toes.

...

Years later, they repeated the same words and actions for their first kiss as man and wife. In the audience, their mothers were wiping away tears and reminiscing about their own weddings and the way William and Adelia had acted around each other when they were still children.

* * *

**AN: I just want to thank all of you who managed to read until the end. This story is longer than I originally planned, but I do hope you enjoyed it! Until the next time!**


End file.
